1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system, information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, information processing method, and processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have conventionally been known a variety of systems in which a plurality of apparatuses operate in cooperation with each other. An example of such systems is one which provides a copy function by connecting a scanner apparatus for scanning an image and an image forming apparatus for printing an image.
Some image forming apparatuses have a counter function for counting the number of delivered sheets or the like, and a charging function for calculating the charge (processing charge) of processing.
There has been proposed a method of, in a system which executes processing using two apparatuses in cooperation with each other, determining whether the partner apparatus has the charging function when determining an apparatus for charging in order to manage the use status (the number of sheets used and the charge of use) of a user (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-033868). This method can avoid double charging.
Recently in the fields of commercial printing and the like, after a given printing apparatus performs print processing, another apparatus executes coating processing to coat the printout with a glossy toner called a clear toner. A printing system which finishes a printed material at higher quality according to this technique is becoming popular. In this system, the user can select conventional normal printing or high-quality printing when printing an image. A method of performing high-quality printing via these two paths (using two apparatuses in cooperation with each other) will be called 2-path printing. In contrast, a method of achieving high-quality printing via one path (using only one apparatus) will be called 1-path printing. In high-quality printing by 1-path printing, a sheet having undergone print processing undergoes clear toner coating processing without delivering the sheet. An example of 2-path printing is form printing. In this case, a printed material the user wants can be created by performing normal printing in the first path and compositing form data registered in advance in an apparatus for the second path.
However, in 2-path printing in which different apparatuses provide normal printing and high-quality printing, a method different from the management method proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-033868 is required to manage the use status of a user.
For example, when the charging function of either apparatus operates, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-033868, no accurate processing charge can be calculated in high-quality printing.
More specifically, the processing charge of high-quality printing is the sum of a charging result in an image forming apparatus which performs normal printing and a charging result in an image forming apparatus which applies a clear toner. If only the charging function of one image forming apparatus operates in 2-path printing, no accurate processing charge can be calculated. The user may select high-quality printing but perform only normal printing without actually executing high-quality printing, and vice versa. When either apparatus charges a user for all processes, the accuracy of the processing charge is poor.
To solve this, the charging functions of all apparatuses may operate. In this case, the processing charges of toner and the like can be accurately calculated. However, the processed-sheet count value may not be accurate. More specifically, when each apparatus acquires a count value on the basis of the delivered-sheet count in 2-path printing, processed sheets are counted up though the same sheets as those in the first path are printed.
If sheets are counted double, no accurate processed-sheet count can be calculated. Further, the use of high-quality printing is limited. Assume that the system manages the upper limit of the sheet count of use for each user. If the processed-sheet count of a user reaches the upper limit upon printing by a first-path image forming apparatus for executing normal printing, processing to inhibit printing over the upper limit is executed for print processing of applying a clear toner in the second path, and the print processing may end. However, the user does not use new sheets in the second path, so the inhibition of printing in the second path is not a normal operation.
From this, demand has arisen for appropriately managing the prices of toner and the like, and the processing charge based on the sheet count and the like, and flexibly avoiding a situation in which the use of an image forming apparatus by a user is improperly limited in a system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses cooperate with each other.